Feeling stressed? Try cooking up some salmon, or just start swearing. And for a nice, tender treat, soak a steak in coffee before cooking. If these tips all sound a little odd, that’s OK. “Hacks” are surprising (and often strange) uses for everyday items. With a little bit of science and a whole lot of ingenuity, these 23 hacks will transform kitchens into tool sheds, improve workouts, and even help turn frowns upside-down.
The Kitchen
1. Shampoo Your Hair With Beer
Plus find foot moisturizer and a better way to marinate steaks and cook rice. These four beer hacks will change the way you look at those leftover brews.
2. Scrub Veggies With Baking Soda
It’s a kitchen staple, sure. But from cleaning veggies to putting out fires (for real), these five hacks prove baking soda is a true all-star for household emergencies big and small.
3. Moisturize Skin With Honey
It’s good for more than just sweetening food and tea. We found four of the most surprising—and helpful—uses for honey outside the kitchen.
4. Make Greek Yogurt With Coffee Filters
The morning can’t start without that cup o’ Joe, but the magic of coffee doesn’t end with the drink—coffee filters can impart some magic of their own with these five hacks.
5. Exfoliate With Avocado
It’s more than just the basis of our favorite dip. Here are our three favorite out-of-the-box uses for avocados, from a cleansing facial scrub to a killer substitute in… desserts?
6. Treat Sunburns With Tea
Sipping tea just for its antioxidant punch is so last millennium. Here are three of the best, most unusual, and generally awesome uses for tea that don’t involve slurping.
7. Shave With Peanut Butter
Peanut butter’s okay without its partner in crime (jelly). These four hacks show a spoonful of the nutty treat could be useful in the shower, frying pan, and even your hair.
8. Soak Steak in Coffee
These four hacks use coffee grounds as a better steak marinade and tenderizer, a facial scrub, to help that home garden grow, and to get rid of pesky kitchen odors.
9. Deodorize With Lemons
Lemons can lighten hair, repel pests, and even fill in as an emergency deodorant. Greatist finds four ways to take this superfood beyond the garnish.
10. Gargle Whiskey for a Sore Throat
Love whiskey, but tired of sipping it straight up (or sipping it at all)? No fear—we’ve uncovered four surprising ways to keep that bottle from collecting dust in the liquor cabinet.
11. Swap Sugar for Cinnamon
Use cinnamon instead of cream and sugar in coffee for a healthy flavor kick.
12. Cut Calories With Smaller Plates
Dine on a smaller dish to cut calories at mealtime.
13. Chew Gum to Curb Appetite
It may be time to bring back the Bazooka and Big League Chew. Research suggests chewing gum between meals can help reduce hunger and caloric intake.
14. Chew Slowly, Eat Less
More nutrients in fewer bites? Mom said it best: “Chew your food!”
The Gym
15. Curse to Reduce Pain
Ohhhh sh!t. Turns out swearing aloud could help turn down the pain-o-meter.
16. Visualize Exercise to Rock a Workout
Research suggests just imagining achieving an exercise goal—like powering through a workout or performing that last rep—can help set the stage for success.
17. Drink Cherry Juice to Speed Recovery
Looking to recharge after a tough workout? A bowl of cherries isn’t the only option. We put together a list of proven ways to speed recovery and get the body rested and ready for more.
The Desk
18. Take a Walk to Get Productive
Step away from that workstation during the lunch hour for increased productivity.
19. Write Away Stress
A pen and paper could be the best tools to combat stress.
20. Start Smiling and Feel Happy
There might be more to improving your mood than just “grin and bear it.”
